Why Your Little Sister Shouldn't Return
by xSymnia
Summary: Ulrich is forced to question where his loyalty lies when his sister, a former Lyoko teammate, returns and manages to split the gang in two. Sequel to Why You Should Never Have A Little Sister, but you don’t have to read the first one.
1. Arrival Part Deux

_**-I do not own Code Lyoko-**_

_**-This is a sequel to Why You Should Never Have A Little Sister. If something does not make sense, it is probably because it was explained in the first story. However, most things should make sense.-

* * *

**_

The grass on the soccer field outside had never seemed such a brilliant green to Aelita. Endless days of rain had sufficiently watered it and the unusual lighting of the overcast day gave it a whole new shine. Twenty or so students ran up and down it in their athletic gear, chasing a ball as it was kicked haphazardly along it. Smiling to herself, Aelita silently thanked whoever's idea it was to make Physical Education an optional subject in Première year, the second in French Lycée. Despite her gratitude, Advanced Computer Studies had never been as boring as today either, but perhaps just because it was a slow day everything seemed dull. Aelita's chain of thoughts broke as she felt Jeremie nudge her arm, which had been resting on the opposite side of the computer she sat at. Professor Bernard remained at the front of the room, hand still ready to write on the board, carefully watching her as she daydreamed.

"If you have somewhere else you'd rather be, Aelita, you are free to go." He stated, but each of the students inside the classroom knew all too well from the tone that it wasn't a polite remark. Staring down at her notebook and keyboard, Aelita muttered an apology as she returned to her work. Since the shutdown of Lyoko three years prior, nothing in computers or physics ever seemed interesting. Students were never allowed to do anything with DNA or virtualisation, as many teachers considered such ideas as Lyoko pure science-fiction. Every time that remark had been made, Aelita and Jeremie would always smirk and glance at each other knowingly.

It felt like hours to before the acute buzz of the school bell sounded throughout Kadic Lycée, sending the announcement of the conclusion of second period and the commencement of break to each student. Hurriedly packing away her books, Aelita dragged the pink messenger bag out from underneath the computer desk and onto her shoulder, unable to wait to be excused from the classroom. Tugging on Jeremie's elbow, she followed him out of the building, towards the west side of the courtyard, the gang's usual meeting place. It had been considered "theirs" since their first day at Kadic High, as Yumi and William had picked it on their own. Aelita couldn't help but muse over how much had changed in the years after the shutdown of the supercomputer. Between them, the gang had incurred barely any detentions, an amazing feat in Kadic Junior High's eyes; Sissi and William became "full-time members", inseparable from the original five; Aelita and Jeremie had begun dating, much to the amusement of their comrades; and everyone's grades had skyrocketed, including Ulrich's, most surprisingly. The last reflection stopped Aelita in her tracks, the middle of the school's courtyard. She hadn't seen Ulrich all morning.

Mind wandering, Aelita nonetheless continued forward to the tables on the west side, noticing Odd, Sissi, William and Yumi already there, laughing and conversing. Ulrich was not with them either.

"Hey." She greeted, dropping her bag unceremoniously on the wooden tables next to the others. Everyone turned their heads and nodded in acknowledgement, already too deep in their discussion to say anything. Swallowing in slight anxiety, Aelita scooted closer towards Yumi and spoke in a low voice next to her ear, unsure if she wanted the others to hear or not, "Have you seen Ulrich today?" Yumi stared at her friend, eyes widening in realisation.

"No, I haven't." She answered, her voice overcome with worry after the shock wore off. Odd broke off his conversation with Sissi, overhearing Yumi's grasp on reality.

"Haven't what?" He questioned, broadcasting the topic to anyone within hearing. Aelita shrunk a little. Odd was loud, and the chat was not one that she had intended for everyone to catch. Sighing, understanding that she wouldn't be able to get out of the impending debate, Aelita put her hand to her head in resignation and "officially" gave up.

"Have you seen Ulrich at all today?" Her question seemed to be met with deaf ears. Had the gang still been attending Kadic Junior High, Odd would know exactly where his best friend would be. Kadic High was much larger than their previous school, and had enough space for each student who boarded to have their own dorm room. Ulrich had been delighted when he discovered this two years prior, reveling in joy knowing he'd be far away from Odd's horrid snoring and late-night GameBoy playing.

"His parents came and picked him up early this morning." Sissi's shrill voice stated over the sudden silence of the group. Her friends turned to stare at her, "I think they took him to the city for the day." She added; unfazed by the intrigued glances she received. A few moments passed as the information processed in the minds of the gang.

"Weird." Odd remarked.

* * *

Brief flashes of light passed rapidly through the dark sedan as the vehicle sped through the streets of Paris, temporarily blinding the occupants who chose to stare out the un-tinted windows. Ulrich however, still partially asleep from waking and leaving school campus so early, instead studied over the other teenager sitting in the back seat. Three years had changed Ulrich's sister, just by seeing her he could tell that. Her formerly dark brown hair had been bleached and dyed a bright blonde colour, giving her hair an amusingly similar appearance to white chocolate. She had grown much taller, but a previously up-and-down figure had turned into one with sixteen-year-old curves. Layers of makeup curtained her face, her eyes surrounded by dark shadows and lines, making Ulrich liken her to a panda. She hardly seemed herself anymore.

Formerly content with staring out the front windshield of the sedan, watching over the traffic and busy streets, Mrs. Stern sat motionless in the front seat, unhappy with the awkward stillness of the vehicle. It was the first time in three years that the entire family had been together, and no one had uttered a word. She too, had noticed the huge change in her daughter, a normally bubbly life-and-soul-of-the-party girl, and was honestly apprehensive about the transformation. Pursing her lips together and plastering a smile over her face, Mrs. Stern turned her attention to her two children in the back of the cabin,

"How was school in America, Ti? It must have been fun!" She inquired, her tone higher pitched and enthusiastic. Tina directed her deliberation away from the landscape of the Parisian city back to the car. Her tired eyes swayed between her brother, her father and finally her mother, her intent gaze giving reason for an answer.

"It was fun." She admitted, reimagining the endless hours of watching pep rallies and celebrating American holidays that she never had done at home. Three years was a short time in her eyes, and exhausting juggling her schoolwork, her extracurricular activities and career. It was like in the movies, where a dying person's life flashed before their eyes before they passed into the light. Ulrich's glance sharpened on his sister as he continued listening to the makeshift interrogation.

"And the career? Is that doing well? I haven't heard anything bad on the news." Tina once again shifted her contemplation and thoughts back to the window.

"Fine." The single word answer caught Mrs. Stern off guard, something unheard of from Tina ever before. It was well-known that Tina loved to talk about herself and her life. Mr. Stern furrowed his eyebrows at her comment, but his eyes remained focused on the road.

"Are you okay, Ti? You seem quiet." Tina heaved a sigh and again adjusted her attention span.

"I'm fine, I'm just tired." She answered, waving off the evident concern from her parents. Ulrich stared at her, trying to mentally remove all the coats of makeup and find the sister he remembered underneath. After many long minutes passed by, the vehicle again sunken into secrecy and the inhabitants mindlessly gazing out to the city, Ulrich began wondering exactly how returning to Kadic would mean. He had left that morning without a word, and knew, or at least, hoped that his friends were worried about him. Almost as if on cue as the thought crossed his mind, his mobile beeped in announcement that a text message had been received.

_where r u? D:_

_-aelita_

Chuckling to himself, he otherwise soundlessly pressed in the keys for a reply.

_will be back soon, don't worry._

_-ulrich_

The mobile once again beeped in a declaration that the message had been sent, and the sedan returned to absolute silence. The stiff stillness of the car remained until the family turned into the suburban street leading to Kadic Lycée. The school was much larger than it's younger sister, almost double the number in student population. The buildings were all brick and the courtyards brightened up with neatly pruned shurbs and small trees, it seemed more like a university campus than the French equivalent to high school. Many uniformed students looked up at the oncoming sedan as it slowed to a stop outside the main gate. Kadic Lycée was in the middle of a residential block, cars were unheard of during school hours, and although it was break and the senior students were allowed to leave after their classes, it was still a very rare occurrence. Inside the cabin, Tina eyed up the large buildings at the front of the campus in awe. The school she attended in America was very different. Once again, her parent's voices broke her out of her thoughts.

"Are you sure you want to go back so quickly, Tina? You're welcome to stay home for a while to get over jetlag." Her mother's voice was again worried. Ulrich watched on as his sister delivered an extended response over how getting "into routine" was better when done quicker as he assisted his father with the suitcases. Ulrich's relationship with his father had warmed since his grades improved, but much work was still needed to be done. He still did not approve of his "good-for-nothing friends". Nodding in place of a spoken goodbye to their son, Mr. and Mrs. Stern strode off towards the administration building of the Lycée. Ulrich's sister followed him silently across the courtyard of the school, politely ignoring the strange and judgmental gazes from other students. Soon the continued lack of voice irritated Ulrich.

"You can drop the act, Tina. I'm glad to have you home." He permitted, stopping in his tracks and shutting his eyes tight, bracing himself for the bone-crushing sisterly hug that would follow. It didn't. Opening his eyes and spinning to face her, Ulrich studied the familiar face of his sister once again. Tina's depressed eyes stared at him emotionlessly, non-verbally telling him he was not going to get hugged. Ulrich frowned.

"Tina, what the hell is wrong with you? You don't have to ignore me too." Once upon a time, Tina would have been truly touched by her older brother's strange interest in her feelings, but that day was long behind her. Breaking the intimidating eye contact with her sibling, Tina walked off, towards the side of the courtyard where several picnic tables were, where six more uniformed students of Kadic Lycée sat, their faces very well-known to her. The laughs and loud conversations of the group faded as they witnessed the two standout students move towards them. Vague similarities showed themselves and soon realisation flooded the group's minds.

"Hey guys," Tina said softly as she reached them finding the ground amazingly intriguing, "did you miss me?"

* * *

_**So, how do you guys like it so far?**_

_**Review if you want me to continue!**_

_**If you have any questions, just ask too.**_

_**Love, as always (and happy Mother's Day!),**_

_**-Kailey Roxanna Rose**_


	2. Reunion

_**-I do not own Code Lyoko-

* * *

**_

Odd eyed the newcomer up and down, feeling like he did and didn't recognise her at the same time. The girl had raised her eyes to meet his, but the sparkle in them that had once never failed to be present was no longer there.

"Tina," he breathed, subconsciously clutching onto the wooden planks of the table he sat on, "you're back." It wasn't exactly an answer to her question, but in the surprise of the moment, it was the best anyone could have done. A hint of a smile claimed the face of the outsider, although it soon vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Behind Odd, the creaking of the picnic table seemed deafening in the stillness of the situation. Sissi leapt off the table and soon wrapped her arms around the girl, pulling her into a hug. It had been a long three years.

"Tina!" She squealed, drawing more attention from the students sitting nearby to her and the alien, "Of course I missed you! How are you? How have you been? I adore your new songs! Amazing!" Released from the clutches of Sissi, Tina returned the delight, losing the enthusiasm that it had been said with first. She attempted to answer the fan's questions in the fewest possible words.

By the age of thirteen, Valentina Stern had moved to America on an exchange program and become Tina Roberts, full of hope to become the next Hannah Montana. Because of her dedication to her career, she hadn't seen her family in blocks of three or more years, and friends came and went within days of meeting. Three years ago, she had come to Kadic to fix her relationship with her brother, and managed to fall into the clutches of XANA doing so. Sissi had been only a distraction, an annoying one at that.

Yumi watched on the reunion, feeling the same blasé emotion she always did when Tina was around. Breathing in heavily and pulling her arms tighter in their crossed position, she continued to grimace at the reconciliation. William glanced confusedly at his black-haired friend and the rest of the gang, unsure of what the significance was of this girl's coming. Yumi didn't take long to notice his puzzlement.

"Valentina is Ulrich's little sister. She is a singer and actress, and one of the most annoying people I have met." She clarified, not bothering to hide the distance in her voice. There was no point in pretending that she enjoyed the ridiculous influence that Ulrich's sister had over others 'below' her, it was only a matter of time before it would become the reason for an argument between her and a 'possessed' person. Yumi followed Tina as she accepted hugs and welcomes from Jeremie and Aelita, explaining her adventures abroad in only a handful of words. Soon all eyes were on Yumi, waiting impatiently for the same treatment from her. The stranger stared at Yumi, her face expressionless but her eyes harsh and demanding.

"Hello Yumi." She said gently, the low volume of her voice disguising the sneer in it. Yumi nodded in acknowledgement.

"Valentina." She replied, taking a bit of pleasure from the disgusted look she earned for the use of her full name. Ulrich gazed at the heated moment between the girls with not much marvel. He had expected the debate, regardless of how sulky Tina was. A pair of footsteps came closer towards the group and a hand soon gingerly placed itself on Tina's shoulder. The eight sets of eyes moved to the two adults standing in front of them; Mr. and Mrs. Stern.

"Tina, honey, let's get you settled into your room." Her mother soothed, unfazed by the tension in the group. The guest impassively pursued her parents towards the dormitory block behind the main campus area, not bothering to bid farewell to her comrades. The trio was long out of sight before anyone spoke.

"What's wrong with Tina?" Aelita raised, the silence of the area becoming unbearable. Yumi rolled her eyes and resumed chatting to William, unwilling to join in the fascinating conversation. Jeremie shrugged and returned to his Physics homework, leaving Odd and Ulrich to wonder by themselves.

"She won't talk to me." Ulrich said, still staring off into the distance where his family had gone. Odd furrowed his eyebrows.

"You're her brother Ulrich, you must know something!" He pressed, feeling that his buddy knew more than he was letting on. Ulrich abruptly spun around and glared at him.

"I _don't_, Odd." He snapped, going off into a sulk and refusing to converse any longer. Odd sighed and relaxed back onto the picnic table, kicking his school bag off the seat in frustration as he did.

"What the hell is wrong with her?" He mulled.

* * *

It was gone five o'clock before Aelita reached the girl's bathroom that evening. The sun had set long ago, winter was fast approaching and the days got noticeably shorter as they passed. Aelita exhaled as she used her back to enter through the door, unable to use her hands which carried the toiletry bag and "normal" clothes. She, like most of the girls in Kadic Lycée, hated the itchy tartan skirts and stockings that they were forced to wear, along with the blazer and customary blouse. She never understood the use of uniforms in a boarding school, where the younger years didn't wear them and senior years were expected to happily. Walking into the drab bathroom, expecting to find it bustling with girls vying for the precious hot water, she stopped still to find it deserted. The taps of school shoes caught her off guard in the shock. Looking out from behind the mirrors and sinks, was Ulrich's sister, the girl she had almost forgotten about during that afternoon. She apparently hadn't attended any of the all-form classes that day. The foreigner's face relaxed seeing a former friend, confidently sauntering out from her hiding place.

_She must be leaving. _Aelita deliberated as she studied her. Tina was lacking the heavy makeup that she had worn earlier that day, her face seeming paler and duller because of it. Her eyes seemed drained and her face fatigued, with no smile materialized. Aelita beamed in greeting, wishing that it would change her expression.

"I haven't seen you all day." She noted, dumping her possessions on the counter and moving towards her. Tina blinked in acceptance. "All settled in?" She queried, making sure she actually got a response this time. Tina gulped and turned her head to the ground.

"Yes." Was all she said in reply. The pinkette stared on. Something was definitely up. Aelita opened her mouth to push on for an actual conversation, but Tina rapidly cut her off.

"Do you think you could get the Lyoko Warriors to come to my room tonight?" She enquired trustingly, sounding for a moment just as Aelita had remembered her, voice light and airy like nothing would ever stop her. Aelita grinned. Maybe Tina _was _just jetlagged.

"Sure." She responded, delighted to see Tina gradually going back to herself. _The others were just overreacting._ She told herself, feeling very relieved. Before she said anything else, her comrade passed her and left the room, leaving Aelita in the girl's bathroom again, which was still strangely abandoned. Aelita picked up her belongings and paced to the adjoining room, where the far wall was taken up by several self-contained showers. Stepping into her favourite one at the end of the line, Aelita continued on with what she had come to do in the first place, groaning and rolling her eyes when she heard the girls from the Seconde year barge into the then-peaceful room, laughing and talking very loudly. It was impossible to find tranquility at Kadic Lycée.

* * *

Dinner came and went, but Tina was nowhere to be seen. Aelita wasn't as worried over the matter of her after the run-in at the bathrooms, but she could see Ulrich and Odd evidently were. After convincing them that the girl in question was in fact, only jetlagged, a new argument came up. One over why Aelita heard before Tina's own brother and ex-boyfriend. It was soon curfew, when the campus began to wind down and trips outside the dormitory area were forbidden. The two buildings were segregated into girls and boys, but a courtyard and common room in the middle meant that couples could have time together before lights out, and groups of friends could watch their favourite television shows together. Walking back towards the courtyard, Aelita leant into Jeremie's side and accepted the arm that wrapped itself around her waist. It was almost two years since they had begun dating, and much to the amusement of their friends, tried not to be too showy of their affections publicly. Despite this, the air was chilly, and Aelita was not wearing a cardigan over her dress. A lone figure waiting at the door of the girl's dorm block gained her attention when it began waving wildly at her. Aelita had almost failed to remember about her promise to Tina, too caught up in the romantic moment. She stopped walking, causing Jeremie to look confusedly at her and Yumi, William, Ulrich and Odd to crash into them from behind. Sissi continued to stride off, unaware of her clique halting. Tina had specifically asked for the Lyoko Warriors to join her that night, perhaps, as Aelita had guessed, she was not as friendly with Sissi as she had let on before.

Odd's sleeve shrunk back to normal size when the eight teenagers waltzed through the barren dormitory foyer. Aelita had been extremely insistent that they went at that moment, and he had been puzzled by her antics up until he realised who they were meeting. Tina had always been theatrically mysterious. Climbing the familiar stairs of the building, Odd didn't hear Tina utter a word until they reached her new room, and she gestured for them to enter. He watched on in more chagrin as the girl bustled around the small room, locking the door and double-checking that the windows were locked. He wasn't given a chance to question it before she spoke.

"XANA." The single word was met with the same bewildered expressions, "He's back. He's back and he's trying to kill me." She stated, and for the first time since she arrived, Odd heard emotion in her voice. A worried, anxious tone reflecting her feelings. The room remained lost of sound as Tina's words processed in her friend's minds. Upon hearing no answer, she continued, "He found me in Los Angeles, so I came here. I need your help. I need your protection." Jeremie's voice broke the awkwardness after her words.

"Impossible." He retorted, crossing his arms across his chest, "We destroyed him three years ago. We shut down the supercomputer. We finished that chapter of our lives." Aelita stared at her boyfriend and his confidence in his own handiwork. It _had_ to have worked; it used so much power that her father…

Attention abruptly diverted to Aelita as she began sobbing. It was amazing, the power of one word and a bad memory. None of them wanted to think what Tina had proclaimed; that Franz Hopper's, Aelita's own father's sacrifice was useless and that XANA had escaped the program to kill him. Jeremie rubbed Aelita's back kindly as she attempted to stop the tears from flooding onto her face. Ulrich tore his eyes off the crying girl to his sister, who remained standing, arms crossed in a defiant expression, peering at the scene, but doing nothing to help. No empathy seemed to come through, and she was the one who caused it. What had gotten into her?

"Come here." Yumi allayed, holding out her arms to help Aelita to stand as she wiped her eyes with the back of her dainty hand. It was hard to miss the death glare Yumi shot to Tina as she did. She continued to assist Aelita out of the room, closely succeeded by Jeremie and William. The room had only Ulrich, Tina and Odd left standing inside it, just like old times, when the three of them were so very close. Tina's face suddenly overcame with compassion after the others left, a late reaction of sorts.

"Oh my God, I didn't mean to upset her!" She apologised, covering her mouth with her hands in guilt. Tina stared at her brother and pal, "You _do_ believe me though, right?"

"I'm not sure Tina, I don't know." Odd disclosed, shrugging his shoulders and leaving the room as soon as he could. Tina's head followed him as he left, wanting to say something, but unable to make words come out of her mouth. Ulrich got up to leave too, closely passing his sister and breathing a "sorry" as he did. As if on instinct, Tina grabbed hard onto Ulrich's wrist. He was surprised by the strength, but his sister seemed unfazed.

"Ulrich," she begged, "please believe me." Her green eyes, the same ones that Ulrich inherited, dove gave him the same look a puppy dog did to the people passing the pet store. Longing, beseeching, wanting. "If my own brother doesn't believe me, who will?" The question was rhetorical, and Ulrich had no design to answer it, ignoring the situation. "You're my older brother, aren't you supposed to protect me?" The sentence sparked something inside Ulrich, a defensive impulse.

"Of course I want to, Tina." He almost yelled, the drive making his voice louder than he intended. He snatched his arm out of her tough grip, "But what am I supposed to do?" Tina looked at her brother like he was an idiot.

"Go to the factory with me. Turn the supercomputer on!" She exclaimed, her voice turning angry like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "XANA is a computer virus. He feeds on power. If he is alive, he won't pass up the chance to get control of the most powerful computer in Europe!"

Her brother gaped at her answer, and didn't say another word. She took a step closer to him, so she was almost touching faces with him. "All I want to do is turn it on to see if he goes to it. If he does, he'll be physically inside and we can turn it off again before he escapes."

"How do you know it's XANA? Why didn't you tell me someone was trying to kill you? Why didn't you call or write? No communication in three years, Tina, and you come back asking me to do that?" He exclaimed incredulously, mouth ajar.

"BECAUSE I SAW THE LOGO IN THEIR EYES!" Tina screamed agonizingly.

* * *

Rain poured down onto the road outside the dance studio in suburban Los Angeles, soaking the teenage girl who chose to stand in the middle of it. She battered the wet lock of hair out of her face as she surveyed the car park, trying to spot the car to take her home.

"Bye Tina!" Another voice squealed from behind her, and the saturated dancer turned on instinct to see the person. Beaming and waving back, Tina wished goodbye to her dance classmate as she jumped into her mother's car across the way. The raindrops felt pacifying on her sore body after the grueling three hour class, but it was turning cold, and if she didn't get out of the rain soon, she would be very sick. The sound of a car horn snapped Tina out of her daydreams and back into the stormy reality. Sprinting to the miracle vehicle, she leapt inside, barely giving herself enough time to get in before slamming the door behind her.

"How did the class go, Miss Roberts?" The driver asked as he turned the car out onto the street. Tina gazed out of the window as she endeavored to find a word to describe three hours of being snapped at by a ballet teacher in broken French and English.

"Fun." She replied, unable to locate a decent word.

"Your fun is about to finish, Tina." A nasty voice from the front of the car seethed, replacing her driver's. Tina stirred in hysteria to where the voice worthy of a horror movie came from. The driver's eyes were no longer on the road, but on her. Not only that, but they now glowed a symbol. One she knew too well. A bullseye. XANA.

* * *

Ulrich stayed inspecting the floor of the room as Tina finished her story. Gulping to bring her voice back to normal after shrieking the account out, she examined her brother's unreadable face.

"_Now_ do you believe me?" She demanded, placing her hands on her hips in a furious fashion. Ulrich eyed the girl standing before him and breathed out solemnly.

"Okay." he resigned, neglecting to see the exasperated upheaval of Tina when she realised that he had just agreed, "When did you want to go?" Tina sat down next to him on her bed, close enough for their legs to touch, and for Ulrich to look her in the eye.

"Tonight. After lights out."

* * *

_**You still liking?**_

_**And so the plot thickens…review to find out what happens next!**_

_**Thanks!**_

_**-Kailey Roxanna Rose**_


	3. Change Of Mind

_**-I do not own Code Lyoko-

* * *

**_

The autumn night air bit into Ulrich's skin as he leant against the brick wall of the dormitory building, patiently waiting for his sister. Exhaling, he could easily see his own breath dance up into the sky, mixing in with the vast blackness of it. It was well after lights-out, so where was she? The snap of a twig behind him soon announced his sister's arrival. Ulrich turned to stare at her, despite the fact the dark of the evening made it difficult for him to spot his own hands. Neither of the siblings said a word in greeting to each other, and the night remained still, the only sounds heard being the irritated beep of a car horn somewhere in the distance. Tina moved her arm, motioning towards the main gate of Kadic Lycée. The gesture of "shall we go?" needed no verbal explanation.

Taps of two pairs of shoes stayed the only constant sound as Ulrich and Tina walked to the factory. The suburban streets had no light except for the dimming streetlamps every thirty or so metres, the houses were locked up and lightless for the night. Ulrich's mind wandered as he strode on, but memories of Tina's last visit were most prominent. Three years ago, when she had appeared out of the blue with almost no explanation, he had almost lost her to XANA. Although she never showed it now, Ulrich could tell that those few brushes with death had impacted on his sister. Why, he asked himself, was she so eager to turn the supercomputer back on then? If she was correct in her judgment, why would she risk making XANA strong again? In his musing, Ulrich stopped in his tracks.

"Tina." He called, when his sister had continued to travel to the factory, oblivious to his stopping. Tina halted beneath a streetlight and spun around, her white chocolate coloured hair gleaming in the yellow light. Her emotionless expression gave her the appearance of a child's doll; listening in, but never guessing what could happen next. "I don't think we should be doing this." He admitted. A shocked look crossed his accomplice's face, and immediately Tina lost the inanimate form.

"Why the hell not?" She demanded angrily, the sudden mood swing startling her brother. Tina's eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. "You said you believed me Ulrich!"

"I wasn't saying I didn't!" Ulrich retaliated, trying hard to keep his voice level and avoid an argument which would surely wake the neighbourhood. He grasped her shoulders as he stepped forward, attempting to get her to listen to him and lower her voice. He realised later that he had no chance. Convincing his sister to change her mind on an opinion had as much chance happening as him winning a million dollars in a lottery. "Do you really think that rebooting the supercomputer is going to help you? We shouldn't be doing this!" His voice increased volume as he stated his case, quickly losing his composure. "Jeremie will kill us!" The stunned visage on his sibling's face rapidly transformed into a furious one.

"Trust my own brother to change his mind at the last moment!" She seethed, nudging his hands off her uncovered shoulders in disgust. "You said Ulrich! You said you'd help! And yet, you're scared of what your _friends_ might say when you help your _sister_?"

Ulrich had no time to retort before Tina dashed off down the road, towards the factory. Whether or not he was with her, Tina was going to do what she came to. Years of soccer training gave Ulrich the upper hand in the short sprinting race, and he swiftly overtook her, steps away from the factory bridge. Standing with his arms outstretched, trying to catch his breath, Ulrich shot death glare at his younger sister.

"Tina, what you're suggesting is impossible. I'm not going to let you do this!" He roared. Too caught up in the moment, Ulrich failed to realise the irony of the situation. Here he was, stopping his sister from doing something he'd agreed to help her with less than an hour before. It was amazing what an epiphany could do to someone. Losing no time, Tina elbowed her brother in the stomach, reducing him to the ground, crouching in pain, and continued to the factory. Ignoring his groans of pain and loud swears after her, she ran for the building's entrance. Even in the opaque of the night, the cables falling from the roof to the storey below were noticeable. An involuntary grunt followed her drop to the floor beneath as Tina again raced to the elevator. Evidently, she was in no position to let her brother catch up to her. When the roller door of the lift landed and the box began to descend did Tina finally feel ahead of her brother.

"No matter what, dear brother," she whispered to herself as the roller door opened again and the sight of the supercomputer room met her, "I'm going to finish what you started."

* * *

Gripping onto the railing of the bridge with all his might, Ulrich got back into a standing position. A pointed pain from Tina's elbow remained embedded on his abdomen, aggravating itself as he moved. Ulrich was truly surprised how much damage she had managed to inflict on him with one blow. After a moment of resting, he began to advance towards the opening of the factory. He had to stop Tina from doing something insane in her current state of mind. Whatever happened in Los Angeles must have been caused by something else. Jeremie's program was flawless. There was no way XANA could have survived it. As he reached the inside of the building, a loud rumble from beneath froze Ulrich. With no time to prepare, the ground beneath his feet began to shake violently, knocking him to the ground. Following human instinct as the trembling got worse and more berserk, Ulrich covered his head with both of his hands and pressed his body to the floor. As the grumbling became deafening, something else picked up Ulrich's interest. His sister's petrified scream.

* * *

Inside the supercomputer room, the formerly beautiful mosaic of white and black tiles obscuring the dome above the room was no more. As the frantic convulsing of the earth shook the factory, the tiles cracked and chipped, finally cascading from the ceiling. However, what would have been the picturesque view of light shining off falling paves, was deadly as the same tiles' sharpened edges crashed down onto the teenage girl cowering to the floor in the middle of the room. The fragments of glass ripped open Tina's uncovered flesh, resulting in yelps and cries of agony. To finish the disaster off, the thick metal rim circling the top of the dome roof, held only by the accompanying tiles, fell to the ground. The last thing Tina saw before being knocked unconscious was the glare of light reflecting off the very same one.

* * *

Legs still shaky from the earthquake, Ulrich made his way towards to the elevator. A wave of shivers shot through him as cool air blew up from the ascending metal box, sending his teeth chattering. Ulrich closed his eyes and hoped for the best as the door closed again and the lift plunged down to the supercomputer room level. He had heard no noise since Tina's scream and a thunderous metal-on-metal crash, and anxiety was ripping him. The box slowed to a stop as the cables tightened above it, but when the doors to the room were supposed to open, nothing happened. Punching the "open doors" button a few times to no avail, Ulrich swore loudly and punched the wall. Something was blocking him from the room.

Worry got the better of Ulrich as he used his fists to bang on the door, shouting his sister's name. He received no answer. One thing he knew for sure; Tina needed help and despite the circumstances, there was no way he could do it alone. Swallowing his pride, he pulled his mobile from his jacket pocket and typed in a number he knew off-by-heart. Jeremie's groggy voice responded after a few rings.

"What do you want, Ulrich?" He questioned irritably, and through the phone Ulrich could overhear the rustle of bed covers. Jeremie had definitely been asleep.

"Einstein," he said, swallowing again, "I-we, need some help."

* * *

Jeremie groaned as his feet landed squarely on the floor of the below-ground storey of the factory, pushing his glasses back up his nose as he returned to a standing position. Ulrich gazed up at his friend from his location on the floor and grimaced. What was he supposed to say?

"I can't believe you did this Ulrich." Jeremie stated, not bothering to hide his anger in his voice. Ulrich studied the ground, unwilling to face his genius comrade.

"I tried to stop her." He reasoned.

"You should've tried harder!"

The two teenagers stood glaring at one another, fists clenched, knuckles white, saying nothing. Ulrich broke the icy silence.

"Are we going to help my sister?" Jeremie's stern nod was all the answer he needed. Soon, the elevator was again in use, descending to the scanner room floor. Wasting no time, Jeremie strode into the middle of the room, towards the small access point leading to the room below; the supercomputer room. Ulrich followed closely behind, quickly understanding what Jeremie was going to do without hearing a word. The squeaking of the lock to the access point rang out in the otherwise incoherent room for the long minutes it took to expose the point. Ulrich sighed as he peered down the access point into the supercomputer room.

Shatters of glass tiles covered the floor of the machine room, dust lightly coating on top. The large piece of technology stood unmoving in the centre of the room, and between it and the elevator, a large, thick metal ring. With one glance at the elevator doors, Ulrich understood what was blocking it. The ring had dented the entryway inwards, so much so that they had snapped and broken. As he surveyed the disaster zone, Ulrich's eyes stopped when he found his sister. Crumpled in a bloody heap underneath the metallic circle, lay the immobile body of his sister. For a moment, Ulrich feared the worst, but soon he noticed the small compressions of her chest. She was breathing.

_Thank God. _Ulrich thought. Tears began to well up his in eyes before a firm hand slammed onto his shoulder, dragging him back to earth.

"I don't see a way to get her out of there." Jeremie adjudicated, his voice clean and emotionless. Ulrich felt like punching him. That was all? Not even a possibility of helping her? The joyous moment for him suddenly exploded. Jeremie rose off his knees and moved towards the ladder on the far wall.

"Where are you going?" Ulrich challenged, racing after his friend. Jeremie's shoulders tensed in fury, irritated that his motives to be questioned in such a manner by Ulrich.

"To the supercomputer. We have to do a return-to-the-past thanks to your sister." He snapped, not even bothering to look at his buddy. Without another word, he scaled the ladder.

* * *

Memories flooded Jeremie as he eased himself into the chair of the dimly lit computer lab. Lyoko, XANA, viruses, programming, towers. Everything he imagined seemed to have happened only yesterday, not years ago. After lulling over the memoirs for some time, Jeremie pulled himself back into reality, focusing on the task at hand. Saying nothing, he opened the return-to-the-past program and entered in the coordinates. Immediately after, he pressed down the "enter" button.

"Return to the past now."

* * *

_**So do you like?**_

_**I'm so sorry for my terrible updating! I cannot put the extent of my apologies into words!**_

_**But seriously guys, 6 reviews and then 1? I know you can do much better than this. Please review if you want any more chapters!**_

_**Thanks.**_

_**-Kailey Roxanna Rose**_


	4. Consequences for Actions

_**-I do not own Code Lyoko-**_

* * *

The following day began just like any other. The sun rose moments before head teachers waltzed down the hallways of the Kadic dormitory blocks, loudly banging on doors and barking orders at its occupants to wake. Tina did not react joyously to the unexpected call on her first morning on the opposite side of the planet. Perhaps it was the late-night near-death experience or the mind-reeling effect of time-reversal that caused her grumpy attitude, but whatever it was, it seemed to go unnoticed by her comrades when she entered the cafeteria for a traditional boarding-school breakfast of toast, hot chocolate and an unrecognisable substance they called oatmeal.

"Nice to see you too." Ulrich remarked coolly through half a mouthful of food. His sister rolled her eyes and made a sarcastic reply under her breath. No one else who sat at the table showed notice or interest in their bizarre show of affection. Aelita sipped her chocolate with the dignity of a queen and quietly watched over the scene, taking a break from the thick novel that sat on the tabletop in front of her. Two seats around, Sissi, Yumi and William discussed the latest Subdigitals' single and Odd gulped down his toast coated in oatmeal in seconds. Jeremie, however, was nowhere to be seen. Aelita furrowed her eyebrows. This was unusual, as Jeremie was often down in the cafeteria before her, armed with his laptop computer and perfecting any assignments that were due that day.

"You know guys, the weirdest thing happened to me last night!" Odd announced to the table between swigs of his own chocolate. All heads turned toward Odd and all imaginations were instantly at work, trying to concept what peculiar and wacky event that somehow affected him enough to make it worthy of breakfast-time conversation. He paused dramatically and eagerly lapped up the attention, trying to build suspense yet, in reality, merely building irritation.

"I woke up twice last night!" He said finally, his voice quick and higher pitched than usual in excitement. Sissi shot him a death glare for stopping her very critical conversation. Ulrich slapped his hand to his forehead in somewhat pity. Aelita sighed and returned to her reading. Both Yumi and William ignored him silently. Tina just gazed off into the distance like nothing had happened. Odd soon realised he had lost them.

"Oh no, that wasn't it! It's that the first time I woke up it was 3am, right?" Once again, his buddies pulled themselves away from their actions and took some discern, "But the second time the clock said 11pm!". His proclamation had its intended reaction, but not before a few quick, concerned glances were sent to and from each of his friends at him. Sissi had still never been told of Lyoko, even now after months – years – of friendship and peace. The laughter did not cease for a long while, but by which time Sissi had already left the table to primp herself for the school day, as she always did in egotism.

Ulrich and Tina's forced giggles came to an end when stomps of sneakers on the cafeteria floor sounded behind them. Aelita spotted her boyfriend first, grinning and waving him over to the group's common corner. Her cheer was not reciprocated. Aelita's smile faltered.

"Jeremie? Is something wrong?" Jeremie disregarded Aelita's enquiry. His focus went straight to the girl sitting opposite her.

"Tina!" he snarled, looming over her as she sat in her chair innocently gaping into space. Tina looked upwards at him with wide eyes, set in a puppy-dog like fashion. Yumi's attention flickered between Jeremie and Tina while she watched on. Something was wrong. She hadn't seen Jeremie in such a mood for a long time. One seat away from her, Tina gave a sweet and guiltless smile, like a child receiving a present on Christmas. Her acting saw no change in Jeremie.

"What the hell were you thinking doing that last night? You could've gotten you and your brother killed!" He shouted, still looking down on her from his elevated position of standing. He quickly rephrased his last sentence, "You almost _did_!" A second round of anxious glances was tossed around the table. Tina's childish demeanour faded almost instantly after his thunderous reprimand.

"I told you." She said, and her eyes narrowed in anger, "I told you it was the only way. What happened last night proves he's back."

Yumi's face became curtained with confusion. What were they talking about? She quickly realised that Ulrich had refused to look anyone in the eye since Jeremie entered the cafeteria.

"Tina, almost getting yourself killed doesn't prove anything!" He retorted. The two were almost nose-to-nose, intimidating each other with their eyes. _This is going to get ugly. _Aelita told herself while she witnessed the heated stand-off.

"Why don't we take this outside?" Aelita suggested, rapidly exiting her seat and striding towards Jeremie, pulling him away from Tina like she would a dog getting ready to attack. The rest of the group followed, noiseless and cold to each other.

* * *

They had reached the edge of the campus park by the time Aelita deemed it far enough to shout and argue without being heard. She stood between the two, set to intervene if it got violent.

"What happened exactly, last night?" She pressed. Her voice was strong and calm, but with an edge to it which told them that lying or evading the question would be met with serious consequences. Tina kept her mouth shut. She obviously had no intention to cooperate in the current state of affairs. Jeremie started.

"Ulrich took Tina to turn on the supercomputer again." He chose his words precisely, he was not going to slip up now, "Then he had a change of heart. It was too late by then. Tina had rebooted the supercomputer and managed to trap herself in the room with the earthquake that followed. He called me, I came to help. We had to do a return-to-the-past."

The tension at that one moment was too thick for any jokes. Odd kept his sudden understanding of his mysterious clock happenings to himself.

"The only reason I went in the first place is because _you_ refused to cooperate!" Tina countered, seething and dismayed. "If you had listened to me and bothered to hear me out on how I know XANA is back, we wouldn't be in this mess!" She wanted to hit the so-called genius to bring some sense into him.

"This is _my _fault? Who was it who went off without asking? Who risked lives by rebooting the supercomputer? _You_!"

"Oh, so you admit that XANA is back!"

"No I didn't!"

"You just said!"

"The earthquake caused by the sudden surge of energy could have killed passersby, Tina!"

"So could have XANA!"

"SHUT UP!"

Jeremie's and Tina's argument suddenly ceased. Aelita stood between them, hands raised and flexed to keep them apart. She stared icily between them, trying to catch her breath after bellowing so loud.

"Enough." She reiterated. She felt like a mother with two squabbling toddlers. William, Yumi and Odd stood watching intently, but shocked nonetheless. Ulrich remained with his back to the rest of them. "Is this true, Tina?" The girl bit her lip and nodded. Her eyes became watery.

"Jeremie, calm down." She said. It didn't take a genius to know that it was not a request. Aelita flicked her long, unnaturally-coloured hair as she turned back to Tina.

"Why? Why did you do this alone without asking?"

"I _did_ ask!" The girl in question replied incredulously, "But no one gave me a chance to tell you how I know he's back!"

Aelita cocked her head in puzzlement. She thought back to the previous night, when Tina explained why she returned. She remembered breaking down into tears. That was why no one heard Tina's point of view. Suggesting that her father's sacrifice of his own life was in vain was all too much. Aelita fought the welling sensation in her own eyes once again.

"XANA found me in Los Angeles. He tried to kill me! Again!" Tina too, was well on the brink of tears. Hers, however, were not of sadness, more of outrage. She couldn't understand why no one believed her; after all, she too was a Lyoko Warrior once upon a time. She too had risked her life to save others and her friends from XANA's clutches. She too had felt the emotional blows of a XANA attack. So why would they not trust her? Relaying this to the semi-circle of a group appeared to change their perspectives.

"Jeremie, can't you just check and see if she's right?" Odd's voice called out from the silence. It was the first time since they had vacated the cafeteria that anyone but the princess, the advisor and the outsider had spoken. Now the court jester had his turn to speak. For the third time that morning, all attention was on Odd, but this go was not one of amusement.

"Impossible. I won't risk my or anyone else's life by rebooting the supercomputer like Tina did." Jeremie's response was cold and firm, the kind that was not negotiable. It was hard to miss the distain he used on Tina's name. Aelita stared on.

"Won't you try? You don't have to use the super-"

"I am not going to, Aelita! That is final!" The pink figure stepped away from Jeremie. She was stunned by him abruptly and rudely cutting her off. Her mouth remained ajar, her eyes wide and her body language defensive.

"You're not even going to _try_?" She whispered in disbelief. Her beau stood motionless in front of her. His head was down and his blonde fringe covered his eyes. His fists were clenched and his shoulders rigid. Aelita soon understood that he was one-sided in this debate.

"Fine." She imparted and continued to move away from him, "You can consider yourself single then, Jeremie. No one could love a selfish rat. One who is unwilling to espouse, even with something so vital!"

Aelita grasped Tina's hand and lead her away from the soundless circle on the edge of the forest. Odd followed on, his arm wrapped protectively around Tina's waist. Ulrich witnessed the three walk off out of view and soon found himself being stared at. More so, glared at.

"This is your fault Ulrich." Jeremie snapped from behind him. Ulrich spun around and came face-to-face with the remaining members of the Lyoko Gang. Neither Yumi or William or Jeremie looked impressed. Outrage swelled up inside of him.

"What could I have done? She would've done it anyway, knowing Tina. She _did_ do it anyway, after I told her not to!" None of his friends spoke as they passed him as they returned to the main campus and what would be the start of first period. Ulrich sighed exasperatedly and threw his head to the sky. He knew one thing for sure; he definitely regretted following his sister that past night.

* * *

The subsequent classes of the school day were a a blizzard. None of the gang said a word to each other, and if they did in some rare case, it was not well-meaning. Ulrich barely scraped through the day, but not without several death glares and cruel comments from his 'dear' sister. The final bell signalling the end of the last period came with a deep sense of freedom to him. After the six classes of school, Kadic boarders had nearly three hours of spare time. Technically, this was to complete homework, chat with friends and shower, but to Ulrich it was a chance to visit his favourite spot in the forest and think things over. Today, despite the catastrophe of the morning, was no different.

Ulrich dashed out of the Mathematics classroom as soon as the class was dismissed, not wasting a second to reach the depths of the forest. His favourite spot was not easy to find, and that was exactly why he loved it.

He panted when he dropped his messenger bag to the ground unceremoniously with a dull thud and then joined it, sitting with his back leaning against a tree trunk. The air in the forest was cool but tranquil and all noise was extinguished. That was why the sudden snap of a twig in the still caught him off guard. His martial arts training sent him onto his feet in seconds. He was prepared for battle, but he wasn't prepared for who he saw in front of him; Tina.

"What do you want?" The fact that his resting-slash-hiding spot was almost unfindable left his mind as he and his sister stood a metre apart, staring each other down. Tina said nothing, but instead pulled a thick book out from behind her back. _The Complete Works of Shakespeare_ glinted in the sun. Ulrich realised what she doing one second too late.

He blacked out on the first blow to the head.

_**

* * *

**_

Hey guys!

_**I'm so so so very sorry for my long hiatus. I got lazy and then my parents decided that a four-week holiday with no computer or internet usage would do me good. It didn't. But I'm back now and eager to write, so updates will be more frequent!**_

_**Review as always, because I really appreciate them.**_

_**Thanks!**_

_**-Kailey Roxanna Rose **_


	5. Reconciliation?

_**-I do not own Code Lyoko-**_

* * *

A pair of regulated black, lace-up school shoes pounded repetitively onto the tiled floor as Tina ran down the hallways of the Kadic classroom block. Her breathing was uneven, only to worsen when she bashed into another student rounding a corner. Both fell to the floor. Tina held her nose in an attempt to numb the pain, moaning, and quickly returned to a standing position. The other student laughed as he offered his hand to help her up; the sleeve of his blazer reached far past where his hand was. It took a second for the two to recognise one another.

"What're you doing here, Odd?" Tina questioned, repeatedly putting a hand to her nose, then in front of her eyes to check for blood. Odd picked up the camera he had been carrying beforehand and brushed it off. He sighed in relief when he realised it had managed to come out unscathed.

"Getting this camera off the art department. I have a photography assignment due tomorrow." Odd beamed at Tina for a moment, but she abruptly turned her head to not look him in the eye. Her face showed concern and worry, "Don't worry about Jeremie, he'll come around eventually." Odd's try at cheering her up fell on deaf ears. Evidently that was not what was troubling her, "What's up?" Tina stayed silent.

"Have you seen Ulrich?" She asked eventually, lifting her chin to look him in the eye. Three years had done Odd some good in the height department. He retained his "svelte" figure, only to grow a foot and a bit. He never failed to remind Ulrich of this, now that he stood eye-to-eye with his comrade. Odd shook his blonde-and-purple head, "I'm looking for him." Tina sounded exasperated, "He was supposed to meet me almost an hour ago; to help me fill in stuff for school records. I can't find him anywhere!"

Ulrich was never one to enjoy spending time in the administrative building of the Kadic campus, but for him to not turn up for an hour without a reason, even with what happened that morning, it wasn't like him.

"No, sorry. Want help?" He asked; his voice was lighter and care-free, his way of assuring the girl he spoke to. Odd had practice with this voice, since he used it every time he broke up with someone. Tina seemed oblivious to said voice. After a moment of thought, she nodded her head in agreement.

"What about your assignment?" Odd flicked his hand in dismissal of her argument.

"I have until 9am tomorrow to finish it. That gives me, what, seventeen hours?" The anxiety of the situation slipped away as the two giggled at Odd's bizarre work ethic and waltzed down the corridor. It was when Odd opened the double doors to the main courtyard and into the outdoors did a light bulb flicker inside his head.

"Have you tried the forest?" He inquired, motioning with his arm in the general direction of it, the westernmost area of the campus, "Ulrich has a favourite spot there." Tina cocked her head in confusion, "None of us are supposed to know about it, but we do. Where else would he go to think for a few hours at a time?" He emphasised his last sentence with a loud laugh. Another grin brightened on his buddy's face.

* * *

Ulrich's name echoed eerily through the trees of the campus forest-slash-park. With each step, the sun lowered considerably in front of them, blinding the two. With each call, Tina's heartbeat grew stronger and her demeanour more panicked. It would be dark very soon, meaning that they would have to be back on main campus within minutes to avoid a detention. The threat of detention had never bothered Odd at Kadic College, but spending long hours in an empty room with the creepy Professor Bennett (who had not a hint of a sense of humour) was something he'd rather do without.

"We better get going, Tina. I'm sure Ulrich will turn up for dinner." Odd slowed to stop as he followed Tina, who too stopped quickly. She whipped around and glared at him incredulously.

"He's not _you_ Odd. He won't run home for teatime. I've known him to skip a day's worth of meals to avoid my parents! We _have _to find him now." Her voice stressed on the last sentence, and Odd knew that she would continue looking for her brother with or without him present. And considering the fact that XANA was – once again – on the loose, he wasn't prepared to leave a Lyoko teammate alone. By then, the sun had set and the only source of light was the streetlamp on the other side of the school fence, a hundred or so metres away. In the back of his mind, Odd laughed at the fact that it was the perfect setting for a horror film, where teenagers are killed mysteriously by an axe murderer with a grudge against Kadic Lycée. But this was not a time for jokes.

Tina abruptly raced ahead, her long, peroxide blonde hair fanning out behind her as she ran. Odd heard her yell her brother's name fearfully, indicating that she'd found him. He too dashed over to his friend.

Ulrich didn't look good. Unconscious and unmoving, he lay on the forest floor in an unnatural position. Blood streaked from the top of his head and his arm looked like it had been broken. Tina moved his hair away from his face lovingly as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Oh my god, Ulrich." She whispered, "What happened to you?"

* * *

The mix of fluorescent lights, white painted walls and the white tiles of the local hospital made William feel dizzy. He stepped carefully out of the way of passing doctors and nurses as he moved towards Ulrich's room. It was past nine, but the entire group had been urgently called off-campus to the hospital, to meet with Ulrich, his parents, and a police officer who wished to ask all of them questions. Apparently a couple of Seconde students had heard their argument that morning and told a head teacher, who thought nothing of it until Odd and Tina had raised the alarm. William made a mental note to personally thank those students as soon as he found them.

This was the first time William had seen Ulrich's parents; at least outside a running vehicle on the first and last days of term. Ulrich had obviously exaggerated his parents' attitudes towards him, because as far as William could see, they were genuinely concerned that their son had been attacked. A smile crept onto William's face as he tried to imagine Ulrich "explaining" that one. The heavy door closed to a controlled shut behind him.

Mr. and Mrs. Stern sat idly by the hospital bed, hastily filling out various insurance and medical forms, whispering between signatures. Yumi stood on the opposite side of the room, giving a statement to the police officer. William doubted she knew any more then he – which was nothing – but he assumed the police just wanted to know as much as possible. Jeremie, Aelita, Odd, Sissi and Tina all stood in a semi-circle around the bed, watching Ulrich intently as if he would miraculously wake at any moment. A nurse knocked politely on the door behind him, breaking William out of his daydream. He smiled and sidestepped to let her inside, receiving a 'thank you' glance from her.

"He's lucky he was found that quickly." He heard her inform quietly to Ulrich's parents when she reached them. "He is comatose from the fight, but judging by how bad the injury is to what it could have been, he should be OK." A huge shared sigh of relief swept through the room. The nurse handed Mr. and Mrs. Stern some more forms before exiting the room.

William approached the bed. Ulrich lay under the covers, a white bandage wrapped carefully around his head and a cast over his left arm, breathing easily. He looked no worse than he would asleep to William. From the corner of his eye, he watched as Sissi embraced Tina in a reassuring hug as she wiped away tears of anxiety. The room was silent except for the sound of pen to paper and a courteous "thank you" from the police officer to Yumi.

"Does anyone want anything from the cafeteria?" Sissi's unusually timid voice broke the stillness of the hospital room. No one said anything, and both Aelita and Jeremie shook their heads in unison as a response. She quietly walked out of the room and down the hall to get herself a hot chocolate. The police officer soon requested that Mr. and Mrs. Stern follow him outside for questioning. Only Aelita, Jeremie, Odd, Tina, William and Yumi remained.

"This is XANA's doing!" Tina spoke up the moment the door slid shut. Her voice was cool and even, but she sounded sure. Jeremie stared at her with the same disbelieving look on his face he had on that morning.

"And how do you figure that, Tina?" Jeremie was equally positive of his remark.

"How could it not be? A Lyoko Warrior is attacked the same day I tell you that he's back. The day _after_ the earthquake that almost killed me!"

"It was _you_ who almost killed yourself, not XANA!"

William's head snapped between the two, who stood on either side of the bed, staring each other down. It was like watching a tennis match.

"Then how do you explain _this_?" Tina screamed, upset and gesturing towards her brother, "Who would want to hurt Ulrich _except_ XANA?"

Jeremie couldn't find an answer. Aelita stepped up.

"Jeremie, just look into this. Please. I know what happened this morning got out of control, but this is an attack on one of us. We _have_ to find out if this was XANA or not." Her motherly tone of voice, so different to everyone else's, seemed to defuse the situation. For a long time, nothing happened. Not a word, not a glance, not a breath. Jeremie finally sighed and met Aelita's gaze.

"Fine." He replied through clenched teeth, "But not from the factory. Not from the supercomputer. I am _not_ going to repeat _her_ mistake." It didn't take a genius to know who the "her" Jeremie referred to was. Aelita exhaled and thanked him.

Yumi and William exchanged glances across the room. Yumi, as usual when she was near Tina, did not seem happy. William knew that she hated not being asked about things like this which affected the entire group and this was no exception. She broke the eye contact and shot a withering glare at Tina before moving away from the group.

Four adults and Sissi entered the room once again, and for the sake of their secret's secrecy, a happier atmosphere lightened in the room.

"My students need to return to campus, officer." Mr. Delmas announced authoritively as he walked in, "It's a matter of school policy." The male officer muttered an "of course" and thankyou as they shook hands. After a final fleeting glimpse at Ulrich, the gang left the room. The ride back to school was soundless.

* * *

"'Night." Sissi called down the corridor of the dormitory block after her comrade. Tina waved her hand in answer and smiled to herself as she continued on her way. At this time of night, the showers were deserted as most girls were asleep or in their dorm rooms for lights-out. The tiles on the walls and floor of the bathroom were reminiscent of the hospital, and it made Tina sick. After first coming to Kadic three years prior and suffering personally from a XANA attack, Tina never liked seeing or thinking of lots of blood. And blood was related to hospitals and emergency rooms...she just generally hated injury or sickness.

Splashing water over her face to remove the last of her daily makeup, Tina gazed dreamily into the mirror. The day had gone fast for her, but not in a good way, and she hoped that the next would be better. Aelita and Jeremie had gone off to research for evidence of XANA, and by how they acted the last time she'd seen them, their relationship was back on track. Tina wished they would find _something_. Something to prove her point. The presence of a dark figure in the mirror startled her.

"Shit!" Tina yelled amongst the yelps as she spun around to face the outline. Yumi narrowed her eyes at her, and Tina relaxed.

"I thought-thought you were..." Tina stuttered as she attempted to regain control of her breathing. Yumi half-smiled as she moved to the sink beside Tina.

"Who, XANA?" She questioned half-jokingly, placing her bag on the counter and pulling out her toothbrush and paste. The other girl stared at her in disbelief.

"Don't say that like it's a joke, Yumi!" She spat. Yumi rejected her toothbrush and turned to face her, unsure of her mood swing.

"I wasn't joking." She defended icily.

"You _were_. And you shouldn't. He _is _back." Tina had stepped closer to Yumi so that she was practically in her face. A scowl was beginning to show.

"How can you tell? You haven't been here. You weren't here when it got worse than hell. When he took William, when _we_ saved him and killed XANA, when _we _shut down the supercomputer. After all that why should _you_ be the one that he attacks first when he returns?"

"What, this is about who _should've _been attacked?" The younger girl challenged. Yumi scoffed.

"No! But you've _never_ given a good reason since you've come back! I don't understand how everyone just believes you like that!" Yumi was surprised that no one had come to reprimand them for yelling yet; both of their voices had reached full volume and the tiles echoed every word they said endlessly. Tina unceremoniously grabbed her toiletries bag and stormed to the door.

"You'll be sorry, Yumi. When you're hurt just like Ulrich was by XANA. You'll be sorry that you didn't believe me!" She declared before slamming the door behind her. Listening to Tina stomp down the walkway outside, Yumi turned back to what she was doing beforehand.

"Something's up with that girl." She told herself before placing the toothbrush in her mouth.

_**

* * *

**_

You like?

_**As usual, please review if you want updates! I really love reviews.**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**-Kailey Roxanna Rose**_


End file.
